There is a calm about Tahbilk. BIrd calls break the silence, voices from afar muffled, the occasional car proceeding slowly as drivers decide whether to turn left or right.
Tahbilk was established in 1860 as Victoria was convulsed by the gold rush years, money flowing as quickly as alcohol of all kinds, wine part of it all. Two families have sustained Tahbilk since then: the Bear family from 1860 to 1965, and five generations of the Purbricks, Eric the second, Alister the fourth, and his daughter, Hayley, the fifth generation.
Alister has been the driving force on two fronts: winemaking and enterprise sustainability. It was his profound belief that, on arriving at Tahbilk with a degree in oenology in 1979, he should make the red wines with the same ethos as his grandfather Eric, who he revered. Given Tahbilk’s record of 95 trophies and 394 gold medals in Australian wine shows since 1962, that respect was well founded.
The red wines are primarily based on shiraz and cabernet sauvignon, led by the precious production of 1860 Vines Shiraz, followed by the ‘twins’ of Eric Stevens Purbrick Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Recently a group of us tasted 19 shirazs and 24 cabernet sauvignons, culminating in the yet-to-be-released 2018s, hence my choice of the shiraz featured. I have a soft spot for the two marsannes made each year, a vastly underrated variety that Tahbilk virtually owns.
The second front has been Alister’s relentless drive to carbon neutrality, commencing in 1995 with the initiation of native regeneration of farmland and remnant land. In 2022 Tahbilk became net carbon emissions neutral by offsetting emissions on the property through revegetation and other initiatives, rather than buying carbon credits; and in 2022 achieved the greatest percentage of emissions decrease of all audited companies.
These achievements are brought into focus by the total estate area of 1,235ha, 227ha of which is viticulture, 729ha is farming, 119ha regeneration/revegetation, and 140ha wetland conservation.
2017 Tahbilk Museum Release Marsanne
Light straw-green, a flowery honeysuckle perfume translates into a delicious mouthfeel, minerally acidity subdued by a generous serving of lie, Granny Smith apple and guava fruits. Once it has reached the plateau of its overall flavour, it will coast for another 3 to 5 years.
95 points, drink to 2027, 12% alc, Screwcap, $36
2015 Tahbilk 1927 Vines Marsanne
The power and drive the wine has is remarkable, for it is also an exercise in purity and delicacy, fruity and savoury, honeysuckle and spice. Marsanne has reached a sweet spot in this wine, the length of its future anyone’s guess. Trophy Best White Wine of Perth Wine Show ’22. A grossly underrated variety.
97 points, drink to 2030, 11% alc, Screwcap, $46
2018 Tahbilk Eric Stevens Purbrick Shiraz
Makes light of a very warm vintage. The ever-complex oak handling is 65% new hogsheads, 35% 5yo hogsheads, 75% American, 25% French. The hue is bright, as are the blackberry/plum fruits, the tannins firm but balanced. To be released mid- to late-2024.
96 points, drink to 2045, 14.5% alc, Screwcap, $74
